Ants in the house are the scourge of many houses in summertime leaving many people to dread the summer and the annual flying ants invasion which they know the summer will herald
Only the unfortunates who have suffered it will appreciate the true nature of flying ants in their houses.
Having an infestation of basic wingless ants is bad enough but when they enter their yearly mating phase the position can become horrifying.
Ants will form colonies under the floors and in the wall cavities of our houses and these colonies will live for many years if left untreated becoming progressively more troublesome as the years go on.
Our homes are warm and dry and make the ideal places for a thriving ant colony; even solid concrete floor is not a barrier to an ant.
Our home heating systems keeps their metabolism even in winter and my earliest ant call-out was on my birthday, in January!
Ants need a sandy soil and there are plenty areas in Lancashire, Cheshire and Manchester which have more ant problems than most others, Southport, Blackpool, Bolton, Sale & Altrincham come to mind as regular ant spots.
Unfortunately it is during their mating time that they are most annoying. Here in Lancashire, Cheshire and Manchester this usually is pretty regularly around the third or fourth week in July.
Ants mate in flight and around mid-summer the colony releases flying immature Queens and flying males which in nature would fly off and mate whilst flying. Many thousands of these winged ants are produced from each and nests tend to synchronise their release in order to mate with ants from neighbouring.
Normally this process starts after a couple of days of hot, dry weather and will often last for about seven to ten although smaller releases will continue throughout most of the summer months.
Unfortunately when the nest is under the floor of the home the results can be horrifying, literally thousands of winged ants are released into the lower rooms, aiming for windows as they make for the light.
This can be unbelievably distressing for some people leading to extreme emotional trauma to the extent that people learn to hate the summertime and have actually sold their homes to escape the plague of ants which they know will appear each summer.
The colder summers of the last three years have meant that ant call-outs were reduced on earlier but ants seem to have a way of catching up and 2010 could possibly be a particularly good year for them.
Many people who have this problem try for DIY solutions with potions from hardware stores etc but mostly these efforts fail as they are not getting to the heart of the problem which is the colony itself, tucked safely in the cavity wall or sub-floor area.
Fortunately for a lot of people help.
At Harrier Pest Prevention (subject to satisfactory site) we are able to remedy this problem and issue an extendable 3 year guarantee.
The treatment which is done mostly from the exterior of the home, is perfectly safe for animals and children and produces no smell, involves drilling small holes into the cavity walls of the property, not unlike a damp-course injection and blowing an insecticidal powder into the cavity wall under pressure.
This forms an impenetrable barrier through which the ants cannot move and along with a precautionary spray of the inside (if deemed necessary) will gradually bring the infestation under control.
The holes, which are only 8mm in diameter remain open so it is a simple matter of topping up the cavities every 3 to extend the life of the guarantee in three year blocks.
This procedure is best done out in the early spring however it can be done all year round.
As a strictly limited time offer before our busy period begins we are offering 25 percent off the usual price until May 30 2010. Whilst we normally cover the whole of Lancashire, Cheshire and Greater Manchester, we are able to venture further afield but this will be reflected in the cost.
For a chat or to arrange an appointment contact Harrier Pest Control on Free Phone 0800 019 8382 or 01257 230637
Ant Pest Control ? Don’t endure flying ant horrors, call us now!
